When the Pope Becomes Competent - Chapter 99



Only Noblemtl

◈99. Delsey’s new skill

“New… skill?”

He asked slowly with his lips that were not moving much.

Delsey’s head slowly nodded in agreement.

“My first skill was a skill that came from the heart to protect myself. But this new skill is not like that. This skill… is a skill to protect His Majesty.”

“me…….”

“Yes, it was only because I wanted to save His Majesty. That I was able to awaken my new skill. And thanks to that, I was able to escape from bad people. I will tell you about my skill from now on.”

Delsey came closer to me, saying that she would ‘show me’ her skills.

Then he grabbed my hand, which was hanging limply.

Delsey opened her lips, holding my hand with both of hers as if in prayer.

What soon flowed from those lips was a familiar song in a familiar tone.

A song with such a familiar and nostalgic tone, like a lullaby I heard as a child.

When the white butterfly flies

The waves were rough

There are dark clouds in the sky

It’s in full bloom

The butterfly’s wings are fluttering

Without knowing how to get tired

beyond the rainbow

To paradise beyond

It was a nursery rhyme widely known throughout the empire.

A simple song that anyone who knows the Imperial language can hum along to.

But the moment the song flowed from Delsey’s lips, that ordinary song worked a miracle.

“butterfly……?”

Butterflies radiating a soft light appeared in the empty space.

It was only after opening the butterflies’ information window that I realized that it was the power of the skill.

Delsi’s new awakened skill “Song that moves the soul (L)”

The power of that skill was what made the white butterfly in Delsey’s song appear in a visible form.

Soon, our surroundings were filled with white butterflies like light.

They flapped their wings vigorously, as if they were not going to give in to the waves and dark clouds, just like the lyrics of the song, and soon landed on my wounds.

It was right after that.

[The skill “Song that Moves the Soul” heals your injuries!]

[The skill “Song that Moves the Soul” strengthens your mental power!]

[Your abilities will increase comprehensively due to the skill “Song that Moves the Soul”!]

System messages kept popping up, informing me.

My injuries were healed thanks to Delsey’s skills, and I also received various buff effects.

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one who saw these effects.

Argelio and Cheonggwang, who were next to me, shouted in succession.

“I suddenly feel energized when I listen to the song!”

“Benefactor! What is this!? I feel like I can do anything right now!”

Luciana was listening to the song when she ran to stop Micheln.

So I couldn’t see her reaction, but it seemed like she also got a buff.

The movement seemed much better than before.

And I―

“… … I feel better. My body is completely healed.”

The body moved.

The wound had completely disappeared, leaving only a bloodstain.

Because the effect was so obvious, I was able to quickly understand what this skill was without having to read the detailed description.

“Area treatment skill… I see. It seems to have a buff effect as well.”

As expected of an L-class skill, it was showing quite good effects.

Judging from how well my body has already gotten, this skill probably has a healing power similar to drinking a high-level potion.

But it exerts this level of healing power, even on a wide scale.

Surprisingly, that wasn’t the end of it.

“What is this… My body suddenly… … ?”

The old man Michelin was muttering in a panicked voice.

Now that I look at it, there was a butterfly attached to the guy’s left arm as well, and maybe that’s why his left arm movements seemed dull.

It is a skill with two effects: healing allies and hindering enemy movements.

Perhaps it was thanks to this effect that Delsey was able to escape safely and seek help from the cathedral.

“Tsk.”

Michelin, who noticed the skill’s effect, clicked his tongue once, then swung his whip and began to crush the butterflies one by one.

And then―

Whoosh!

Luciana’s sword dug sharply into the guy’s neck.

The guy tried to avoid it, but a butterfly ended up stuck to his right leg.

In the end, I couldn’t dodge properly and ended up with a long gash on my neck.

I gritted my teeth as I watched the two exchange attacks.

‘It may seem like things are going in your favor right now, but no. The guy hasn’t even used that skill yet.’

The skill of transforming people into beasts and using them, Re-creation.

The guy had yet to reveal the skill that was practically his signature move.

They would trade attacks like that and see how far they could go, and if there was an opening on our side, they would use their skills immediately.

Then, if either Luciana or Bliss were to be affected by that skill―

‘It’s dangerous.’

Then the two would become Micheln’s hostages and loyal soldiers.

I couldn’t let that happen, so I jumped up from my seat.

“Thank you, Delsey. It’s all thanks to you. Thanks to you, I was able to get through today.”

If Delsey hadn’t come, I probably would have been caught by Micheln.

So I gave her my compliments honestly, and Delsey bowed her head.

Delsey’s ears, visible through her hair, were bright red, as if embarrassed by the compliment.

“Now I’ll go help Bliss and Luciana. Keep singing from behind and use your skills.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, but the sleepwalkers didn’t come?”

Although Delsey’s skill was great, it was not an attack skill, so it was too dangerous to leave her without an escort.

So I tried to leave the sleepwalkers to guard me, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“He’s not here?” Delsey asked curiously.

“I came. I just wanted to appear at a crucial moment… … .”

“… … Ah, I think I know what it is.”

I felt like I knew without even hearing it.

I found out while clearing dungeons together before, but Dionysius was very greedy.

Should I say that he always wants to step up at a crucial moment and monopolize an important and cool role?

It was probably the same this time too.

They probably thought it would be better to watch the situation from outside and appear like a comet at a critical moment rather than rushing in mixed with people.

Then I couldn’t leave Delsey to them.

Instead, I spoke to the other two who were with Delsey.

“Blue light, and Argelio. Protect Delsi from being attacked while she uses her skill.”

“Understood, benefactor!”

“I don’t have any attack skills, but I’ll still do my best to cheer you on!”

Yes, Cheonggwang was also quite strong.

Besides, Argelio was… good at cheering, so he could leave Delsi in charge.

I left them behind and joined Bliss and Luciana.

Bliss asked as she felt me ​​approaching.

“How about the body?”

“It got better.”

“Are you sure? Or just-”

Bliss swatted away the whip that had just flown towards me and continued her interrupted speech.

“Just stay safe in the back.”

“I’m all better now, so don’t worry about anything—”

A leopard that ran into me while I was talking.

I quickly activated my skills, Deification and Inviolability Pact, to purify the guy and then continued talking.

“Don’t worry and just focus on the fight.”

As I said that, Doria was summoned.

Additionally, the trust window also came to mind.

-Number of hostages purified so far (3/5)

I purified a total of 3 leopards, including the one I just purified.

Now, only two beasts remained, guarding Micheln.

It seemed like Netty and Luciana had already taken care of Bliss.

Because she was so busy, Doria didn’t talk to me, so I spoke to Bliss and Luciana during that time.

“Let’s start by dealing with the remaining beasts. Tie their feet.”

“Well, do you think I’ll just sit there and watch that?”

As I spoke, Michelin also spoke and used his skill.

Since I had already looked at the guy’s information window, I thought I knew what skill he used.

I shouted straight at Luciana and Bliss.

“Both of you be careful! It’s a skill that makes beasts go berserk!”

Berserk. Also known as berserker.

Among the skills of that bastard Micheln, “Love’s Hawk (L)” was a skill that made the beasts he command go berserk, increasing their attack power.

Micheln struck the remaining beasts, the boar and the chameleon, with the whip imbued with the power of that skill.

Krrrrrp!!

Kyaaaaak!!

An ominous howl came from the beasts.

At the same time, the beasts began to change shape.

Woodduck-

The bones and muscles swelled and made a creepy noise.

In an instant, the beasts’ size nearly doubled.

The true effect of Berserk was to transform the body as well as the mind into a killing machine.

As I looked at the beasts that had grown so large, I called out the names of the two who were blocking my way.

“Bliss, Luciana… … .”

“it’s okay.”

Luciana answered shortly, adjusting her grip on her sword.

“I went hunting with my father a lot when I was young, so I know how to deal with wild boars. And that first tip is―”

Luciana continued speaking while activating her skill, “Quiet Primordial Forest.”

“It’s preemptive strike.”

The tranquil forest that had existed since the beginning was summoned around her.

The giant boar that was rushing to bite Luciana entered its territory without even realizing it.

Krrrrrr… … ?

The wild boar, which seemed excited and ready to charge, soon calmed down, overwhelmed by the silence of the forest.

Wood thud-

The swollen bones and muscles also shrank back down.

The calming effect of the Primal Forest skill calmed the beast that had gone berserk and returned it to its original form.

Luciana then activated “Persistent Thorns”.

The thorny vines sprouting from the ground easily entangled the small boar.

One of the two was captured safely.

Meanwhile, Bliss, who was dealing with another beast, the chameleon, sighed.

“I’m not very good at handling animals―”

As he was talking, Bliss easily dodged the chameleon’s tongue that extended out towards me and continued talking.

“I lack the tact, so I think I’ll have to suppress it with some fanfare.”

You’re going to suppress it with a bang.

When I heard that, I suddenly felt worried.

‘Come to think of it, Bliss’s capture skill was A-class. That wouldn’t be enough to capture a beast that had gone berserk… … Could it be that she’s trying to catch it without any plan?’

Although they look like that now, the beasts were originally ‘people’ under a curse.

They are innocent hostages.

It was at that time that I was thinking of blocking Bliss before she, unaware of it, started randomly firing off attack skills.

The guy activated his skill first.

thud-

thud-

thud-

A cold, sharp chill enveloped the surroundings, and at the same time the ground began to thump and rumble.

The temperature dropped rapidly.

The sound of footsteps.

I could immediately tell what skill the Bliss guy had activated.

“This skill… Could this be the Legion of the Dead in the Snowfield…?”

“You know this skill too.”

Bliss smiled as she said that.

“That’s right. It’s a skill I’ve been saving up, and since everyone else is using area-of-effect skills, I tried it out too.”

The army of the dead in the snowfield.

A skill that summons the souls of those who have died and commands them to your legion.

As far as I know, this skill is the most flashy and at the same time the most powerful skill that Bliss has.

thud-

thud-

thud-

The sound of footsteps was getting louder and louder.

In response, ghostly shapes in the empty space began to appear.

There were more than one or two.

A large number of ghosts standing in a row.

It was literally a ‘legion’.

-Geuu …

-Ughhhhhhh… … .

-Ugh… … .

The summoned ghost army began to move in a strange, swaying manner.

The chameleon that was rushing towards Bliss was soon covered in ghosts.

Kieek… … !

The summoned ghosts had a completely different form from humans.

It was thick and heavy, like a viscous liquid.

As it swarmed over him, the chameleon’s movements gradually slowed down.

and…….

“… … It’s freezing.”

“This is the real effect of my skill.”

Bliss answered my muttering and continued her explanation with a relaxed expression.

“The summoned dead slowly freeze the target they capture. They then don’t let go until they are completely frozen. They capture them tenaciously and slowly kill them.”

“… … .”

As expected, all of this guy’s skills were questionable.

But anyway, thanks to that, the beasts were captured cleanly.

If we could just hurry up and clean up the place, we could send all the hostages home safely.

When all of my power was neutralized like that, Michelin clicked his tongue.

“Well, I guess I’ll go now. It’s not fair for so many of you to be fighting just me, right?”

As soon as Micheln finished speaking, wings sprouted from behind the guy’s back.

It was the wing of a giant eagle-like bird.

It seemed that he had used one of his skills, “Beast Transformation (L),” which changes his body to resemble that of a beast.

“Then goodbye!”

His judgment was quick.

As soon as I felt that the odds were against me, I decided to run away and found a way out.

But there was something he didn’t calculate.

The point is that I have other colleagues besides those here.

And those Mongma siblings who had been loitering outside the barracks, tore the barracks apart at precisely the right time and came in here.

It was as if the skills had been combined in advance outside, forming a giant Minotaur.

In that state they―

【【A real hero appears at a critical moment!!】】

… he shouted loudly and ran towards Michelin.